Declining Bodo Marriage Customs

Traditional Bodo customs associated with the settlement of marriage ties, such as the caring of specific silver bracelets, coins, areca nuts, betel leaves, and rice-beer bottles (Asan shuri jorase, Thakha gathang jorase, Goijora, Pathoi jora, and Jorase jou dingri), are slowly fading. Similarly, pre-marriage ceremonies involving areca nuts and betel leaves (Goi aro Pathoi) and two earthen pitchers (Hani thinkli gongnoi) are also declining. Many practices performed during the marriage ceremony itself, like Goikhaonai, Gay-khithou garkhonai, Kholar gothainai, and Phonthakha Hwnai (giving money to the bride's family), are gradually disappearing. Additionally, the arrangement of 'Barlangfa' and beliefs in good and bad signs for bride selection are also declining.

Traditionally, brides wore 'Dohkona thousi' and 'Fasra', while grooms wore 'Gamsa'. However, modern weddings now incorporate diverse attire including dhoti, long pants, trousers, coats, crowns, gloves, skirts, blouses, neck-ties, belts, socks, and shoes, depending on religion and region. Marriage venues, once decorated with banana leaves, are now adorned with modern lighting systems from tent houses, thermocol, and balloons.

Modern furniture such as chairs, dining tables, and tea tables have largely replaced traditional items like jute sacks, bamboo mats, bamboo-made bedsteads, wooden bedsteads, and low wooden seats at Bodo marriage ceremonies. The food served has also expanded significantly beyond traditional rice, pork, and rice-beer, to include modern items like luci, puri, souse, papads, paneer, pickles, soya beans, butter, wheat, barley, ghee, sweets, and fruits.

In addition to their traditional musical instruments like Kham, Serja, Sifung, Jotha, Gonggona, and Thorkha, Bodo marriage ceremonies now widely feature band parties, audio tapes, and musical bands for entertainment.